Superfood Skin Drip Serum

The base most products are built on. It carries the other ingredients and has no safety concern.

A humectant that draws water into the skin. One of the best-studied, best-tolerated ingredients in personal care.

A form of vitamin B3 used to support a more even-looking tone and a comfortable barrier. Well tolerated at cosmetic levels.

A corn-derived solvent and humectant that has largely replaced propylene glycol in "clean" formulas; CIR reviewed the alkane diol group and found use concentrations up to about 40 percent in leave-on products like deodorant sticks with no meaningful irritation signal.

A citrate ester used as a solvent and plasticizer in cosmetics to dissolve active ingredients and adjust texture. It is well tolerated and widely used in formulations without documented safety concerns.

Green tea extract is a well-studied topical antioxidant with a long history of use in serums and moisturizers, generally well tolerated at cosmetic concentrations. Panel safety reviews of Camellia sinensis-derived ingredients have not identified meaningful topical hazard.

Chamomile extract is used for its soothing and mild antioxidant reputation and is generally well tolerated. It belongs to the Asteraceae (Compositae) plant family, so people with a known ragweed or daisy-family allergy occasionally react to it and may want to patch test first.

A naturally occurring nucleoside used in anti-aging formulas, often marketed for smoothing the look of fine lines. It has a low irritation profile and no established hazard at cosmetic use levels.

A gentle, stable vitamin C derivative that the skin converts to active vitamin C, popular for brightening with less irritation than pure ascorbic acid. It is well tolerated and graded low concern in published assessments.

Bisabolol is a botanically derived (or synthetically nature-identical) compound used for its calming, anti-irritant reputation in sensitive-skin formulas. Safety reviews and long clinical use have found it well tolerated with a low rate of reported reactions.

A naturally occurring dipeptide with antioxidant properties, studied for skin health and barrier function support. It is widely used in skincare and cosmetic formulations with a strong safety history. No known contact allergens or sensitization reactions have been documented.

A synthetic antioxidant approved in the EU and used at low levels to prevent product degradation and extend shelf life. Not absorbed through skin and presents no safety concern in cosmetic formulations.

A humectant that holds water at the skin surface for a more hydrated look. No safety concern.

A strong alkali used in tiny amounts to adjust the pH of cosmetics to safe, skin-friendly levels. At the pH found in finished products, sodium hydroxide is neutralized and well tolerated.

A biodegradable chelating agent that binds trace metals to stabilize formulas, often chosen as a gentler alternative to EDTA. It is readily degraded in the environment and poses minimal toxicity concerns at cosmetic concentrations.

An antioxidant that helps protect a formula and condition skin. Well tolerated.

A lab-made version of a lipid naturally found in the outer skin barrier. It is added to creams and cleansers to help replace lipids that washing can strip away, and it is not linked to irritation or safety concerns.

A naturally occurring mineral used as a powder filler to impart smoothness and soft-focus texture in cosmetics. It is inert, non-absorbed, and poses no known irritation or sensitization concerns at cosmetic use levels.

A salt form of glycyrrhizic acid, a compound from licorice root prized for soothing irritated skin. It is well tolerated at cosmetic levels and has a long history of use in skincare formulations.

A synthetic polymer used to thicken and stabilize water-based formulas like gels and serums. It provides texture and suspension of particles without interfering with skin feel. Well established in cosmetics.

A lightweight humectant and solvent similar in role to propylene glycol, used to carry actives and give lotions a lighter feel. CIR has reviewed it and considers it safe as used in cosmetics.

A blend of cetyl and stearyl fatty alcohols used to thicken lotions and soften skin. It is chemically unrelated to drying alcohols like ethanol, and the CIR expert panel has found fatty alcohols safe as used in cosmetics.

A natural, plant-based emulsifier made from cetyl alcohol and glucose that mixes oil and water phases in cosmetics. It is well studied, nonirritating in published testing, and presents no known safety concerns for cosmetic use.

A mineral UV filter and white pigment used in sunscreens and makeup. It sits on the skin surface rather than being absorbed, and major regulators consider it safe for topical cosmetic use.

An ester of palmitic acid and ethylhexanol, commonly used as an emollient and skin-conditioning agent. It is well studied and well tolerated in cosmetics.

A common emulsifier and texture-softener made from glycerin and stearic acid. CIR review of this class found no evidence of reproductive, carcinogenic, sensitizing, or phototoxic effects in the studies examined.

A PEG-based emulsifier that blends oils and water in formulas. It is a workhorse ingredient in stable emulsions and is approved for cosmetic use. Well tolerated.

Pentylene glycol is a humectant and solvent that also offers mild antimicrobial support in formulas. It is generally well tolerated, with only rare reports of irritation, mostly in already sensitive or compromised skin.

A mineral pigment used to add opacity and soft-focus effects in cosmetics. FDA-approved for cosmetic use and graded low concern in published safety assessments.

Xanthan gum is a microbial-fermentation-derived polysaccharide used to thicken and stabilize textures, similarly common in food. Cosmetic panel review of this and related microbial gums found them safe as used, with no meaningful irritation signal at typical concentrations.

Chlorphenesin is a preservative subject to an EU maximum concentration limit and has been linked to contact dermatitis in a minority of users, particularly with repeated exposure. Most people tolerate it at the regulated use level without issue.

A widely used preservative, safe at the legal limit of 1% or less. Often the "paraben-free" replacement.

An undisclosed scent blend that can contain dozens of components. The single most common cause of cosmetic contact allergy, and the blend is not itemized, so you cannot see what is in it.